Naxals killed in Encounter in Malkangiri

Malkangiri, Jan 05: Some Maoists are believed to have been killed in an ongoing encounter with the security personnel in the cut-off areas of Malkangiri district bordering Andhra Pradesh.

The number of Maoist casualties is yet to be ascertained. The heavy exchange of fire is still on between the red rebels and police since yesterday evening.

The joint combing operation by the Greyhound force of Andhra Pradesh police, the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Odisha and District Voluntary Force was carried out following the intelligence inputs that the Maoists were running training camps at Vejingi and Pingapuram in the cut-off areas along Chitrakonda reservoir.

As per the intelligence reports, there were more than 60 Maoists were present at the Pingapuram camp.

IG, south-western range, Yashwant Jethwa, confirmed that some Maoists have been killed in the encounter, but declined to state the exact numbers.

The number of Maoist casualties will be known only after the encounter and the bodies are recovered. It is not possible to give the exact number of casualties since the operation is still on, he said.